Recommended Reading For Understanding Wicca

Just a few books to help you on your Wiccan Way

Though a lot of my studying involved the internet, I have collected many helpful books on the subject of Wicca, and Paganism in general. This article is mainly for those of you who are new to The Craft. If you have chosen to seriously pursue this path, I will say congratulations, and I hope this list of books is useful for you. There are tons of them out there, and tons of different opinions as well. These are my preferred books that I'd like to share with you.

1. Scott Cunningham, "Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner"

This book was one of the very first titles I acquired early in my studies. I started out solitary, and have remained so. This book was particularly helpful in outlining things I could do without needing a Coven. For its size, it's a very comprehensive book. He discusses the very basic beliefs of Wiccans, magickal tools, and mechanics of Circle casting. There are basic rituals for each Sabbat (complete with explanations of why each Sabbat is significant). Honestly, there is so much to discover inside this deceptively small book. I highly recommend it as a "first" book, and guide to beginning Wiccans. What I loved most is that you are encouraged to really make your Wicca practice your own. You are encouraged to look within yourself for the answers. This is a wonderful place to start if you are going the way of the Solitary Practitioner.

2. Eileen Holland, "The Wicca Handbook"

Eileen Holland is a Solitary Wiccan. Though this book is along the lines of "Wicca 101", it focuses deeply on magickal correspondences for whatever your goals are. Holland is incredibly knowledgeable about the multitude of pantheons celebrated by Pagans and Wiccans. It's definitely geared towards audiences who are Eclectic Witches, but you can take the concepts you like and use them in a more specialized practice all the same. She does include some rituals and spells within revolving around love, prosperity, protection, etc., but has another book that focuses only on spells, which I found helpful early on. Like Cunningham, Holland encourages you to make your solitary practice your own, and embrace the ideas that work for you. This book still remains one of my favorites, especially in regards to correspondences, and I still refer to it. If you are looking for spells only, try Holland's book, "Spells for the Solitary Witch"

3. DJ Conway, "Wicca"

In my internet travels, I've noticed some disdain for Conway's books, but I like this one. She discusses both solitary traditions, and Coven based practices. It's a pretty hefty book, and some chapters are a little dense, I admit. What I liked most about this book were the exercises at the end of the chapters. The book encourages a pro-active learning approach, which was great for me in the beginning, because it forced me to really think about why I was pursuing Wicca. This is a very comprehensive book, but by no means is it the only book you will want to read, despite the fact that it attempts to cover almost everything. Conway is clearly strict in her practice, and the tone of the book carries the message of, "this is how Wicca is". My advice to you, reader, is that if you decide to read this book, keep your mind open. Wicca is never just "one way". As long as you remember that concept in your studies, you will take something useful from each text that comes your way. All that aside, I recommend looking in to this book because it offers so much information including chapters about different types of faeries, herbs, oils, deities, colors, and much more.

4. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft

Yes, I know, it's one of those books for dummies or whatever. Truthfully, as a "Wicca 101" text, this book breaks it down very well. While I wouldn't use it (or any of these books) as my only source for information, I would definitely use it. If you are someone who requires a more simplistic form of writing and explanation, this is as good as it gets. I found it useful because it was so easy to read, and the concepts are broken down well. It poses a few questions and tries to probe your brain into really thinking about what the concepts of Wicca are really about. The book also includes some spells and rituals for you to use if it suits you. I have not used any of them because they simply didn't appeal to me, but as a beginner, they may work for you. Bear all this in mind, and I believe you'll find this book valuable. That's essentially where it stops, though. The further you journey into Wicca, the less you will need this text. I only recommend it for the absolute beginner.